Alicia M. Palladino, JD, PhD

Alicia Palladino is a partner in Goodwin’s Life Sciences IP Transactions and Strategies (IPTS) Patent Group, deeply passionate about her clients’ technologies. She emphasizes the importance of partnering with startups early in their journey when establishing and preserving the value of their assets is critical. With a PhD in biomedical science, Alicia leverages her expertise in molecular biology, genetics, cell and gene therapies to help build a robust patent estate with lasting exclusivity. She has guided clients through due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, financing, and IPOs, serving a diverse clientele that includes pharmaceutical companies and pre-clinical and clinical-stage life sciences companies.

Alicia collaborates closely with emerging growth companies, advising on life cycle management, regulatory compliance, market exclusivity, and trade secrets to maximize asset value. She also assists with patent term extensions and Orange Book listings, counsels on non-disclosure, consulting, licensing, collaboration and joint venture agreements, prepares and files patent applications, and secures patents across various products, including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetic, diagnostics, and biologics. As an IP attorney, Alicia advises on IP strategy, conducts internal due diligence reviews for pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and drafts agreements to ensure robust IP protection for smoother fundraising processes.

Prior to Goodwin, Alicia worked at a national AMLAW 100 firm, and before that as a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh in the Pharmacology and Chemical Biology department. She focused her research on neurodegeneration and mitochondrial diseases as she tested compounds with the potential for curing related disorders.

Alicia completed two internships in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania for both the Honorable Joy Flowers Conti and the Honorable Cathy Bissoon.

• Advising start-up clients on comprehensive patent strategies to support the development of novel therapeutics
• Conducting IP due diligence on behalf of pharma, biotech, health care venture capital funds, venture capital firms, and investment funds
• Conducting internal IP due diligence reviews and audits on behalf of pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and cell and gene therapeutic companies in preparation for partnering, financing, and public offerings
• Preparing and filing patent applications and securing patents for protein therapeutics, antibody therapeutics, cell and gene therapies, nucleotide technologies (e.g., siRNA, mRNA, and antisense), viral vectors, vaccines, diagnostics, small molecules, formulations, drug delivery systems, extended-release systems, nanotechnology, and medical devices
• Providing advice to companies on the interactions of FDA and patent law for drugs, biologics, and cellular products
• Providing legal opinions on issues of patentability, inventorship, ownership, infringement, invalidity, enforceability, and freedom to operate
• Providing patent counseling to companies going through an initial public offering (IPO) and follow-on public financings
• Advising companies to determine patents that are eligible for patent term extension (PTE) and patent listings in the Orange Book and Purple Book
• Providing counsel on and preparing non-disclosure agreements, consulting agreements, license agreements, and collaboration/joint venture agreements for life science companies
• Due Diligence investigations and analysis for clients in the life sciences and pharmaceutical sector*
• Strategic IP Counseling for a well known skin-care company in regards to their multiple skincare lines*
• Patent prosecution for a wide range of technologies including a well-known biotherapeutic company*
• Supporting the development and protection of several types of technology including gene therapies and drug delivery systems*
• Creation of a patent focused on compounds for the treatment of Mitochondrial diseases*
• Creation of a patent for a Mitochondrial Targeted RNA System and its use*

* Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin

Alicia is prolific in her activities as a professional and a member of her community. Some of her recent activities include:

• 2022-2024: Chair of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation Board of Trustees
• 2020-2022: Vice-Chair of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation Board of Trustees
• 2017-2020: Trustee-at-Large of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation Board of Trustees
• 2014: The Q. Todd Dickenson Intellectual Property American Inn of Court
• 2014-2015: President of the Student Intellectual Property Law Association
• 2014: Member of the Cardozo/BMI Entertainment &Media Law Moot Court Competition Team
• 2012-2015: Pennsylvania Bar Association, Law Student Representative
• Member of Women in Bio
• Member of the Allegheny County Bar Association. 
• Member of the Pittsburgh Intellectual Property Association

• Named a Recommended Lawyer in Patents: Prosecution (including Re-Examination and Post-Grant Proceedings) by the Legal 500 US 2024
• Named Rising Star in IP by Managing IP (2023)

• Co-Author, “In Sickness and In Health: Comparing Patent Protection for Pharmaceuticals and Dietary Supplements,” IP Watchdog, September 4, 2018
• Author, “When Can Common Sense be relied Upon to Find an Invention Obvious?,” PostGrant-Counsel Blog, August 23, 2016
• Author, “Battle Between Sneaker Makers Nike and Adidas Will Go Another Round,” PostGrant-Counsel Blog, February 25, 2016
• Author, “Do-Gooders Need Not Appy,” PostGrant-Counsel Blog, October 21, 2014